Another Republican Underpants Problem

I believe Republicans are the only people left who use public bathrooms for sex anymore. I mean, it's so 1987.

Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) was arrested in June at a Minnesota airport by a plainclothes police officer investigating lewd conduct complaints in a men’s public restroom, according to an arrest report obtained by Roll Call Monday afternoon.

Craig’s arrest occurred just after noon on June 11 at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. On Aug. 8, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct in the Hennepin County District Court. He paid more than $500 in fines and fees, and a 10-day jail sentence was stayed. He also was given one year of probation with the court that began on Aug. 8.

A spokesman for Craig described the incident as a “he said/he said misunderstanding,” and said the office would release a fuller statement later Monday afternoon [...]

According to the incident report, Sgt. Dave Karsnia was working as a plainclothes officer on June 11 investigating civilian complaints regarding sexual activity in the men’s public restroom in which Craig was arrested.

Airport police previously had made numerous arrests in the men’s restroom of the Northstar Crossing in the Lindbergh Terminal in connection with sexual activity.

Here's the police report:

“At 1216 hours, Craig tapped his right foot. I recognized this as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct. Craig tapped his toes several times and moves his foot closer to my foot. I moved my foot up and down slowly. While this was occurring, the male in the stall to my right was still present. I could hear several unknown persons in the restroom that appeared to use the restroom for its intended use. The presence of others did not seem to deter Craig as he moved his right foot so that it touched the side of my left foot which was within my stall area,” the report states.

Craig then proceeded to swipe his hand under the stall divider several times, and Karsnia noted in his report that “I could ... see Craig had a gold ring on his ring finger as his hand was on my side of the stall divider.”

Karsnia then held his police identification down by the floor so that Craig could see it.

“With my left hand near the floor, I pointed towards the exit. Craig responded, ‘No!’ I again pointed towards the exit. Craig exited the stall with his roller bags without flushing the toilet. ... Craig said he would not go. I told Craig that he was under arrest, he had to go, and that I didn’t want to make a scene. Craig then left the restroom.”

Rumors have been rampant about Sen. Craig for quite some time. He's actually up for re-election this year against Larry LaRocco. Is there any way he doesn't resign after this? Pleading guilty to soliciting bathroom sex?

UPDATE: Do these Republican solicitors have any sense of discretion? If I wanted to have me some hot illicit sex, a public bathroom would be the last place I would go. Is it that they don't want to spring for the hotel room?

Also, Atrios has some famous last words from Craig in 1999.

MR. RUSSERT: Larry Craig, would you want the last word from the Senate be an acquittal of the president and no censure?

SEN. CRAIG: Well, I don’t know where the Senate’s going to be on that issue of an up or down vote on impeachment, but I will tell you that the Senate certainly can bring about a censure reslution and it’s a slap on the wrist. It’s a, “Bad boy, Bill Clinton. You’re a naughty boy.”

The American people already know that Bill Clinton is a bad boy, a naughtyboy.

I’m going to speak out for the citizens of my state, who in the majority think that Bill Clinton is probably even a nasty, bad, naughty boy.

UPDATE II: This happened in JUNE. And the sentence was handed down, in public, 3 weeks ago. Way to get right on that, everybody (particularly the Idaho media).

UPDATE III: Is foot-tapping a crime? It's a fair question, but I'm willing to accept the judgment of the law enforcement official. And the pleading guilty part kind of blows this whole concept out of the water.

UPDATE IV: As near as I can tell, Craig's excuse is that he sits on the toilet in a wide stance, therefore he incidentally touched the foot of the man sitting next to him in the next stall. That has got to be one of the best excuses for soliciting bathroom sex I've ever heard. Actually, it's the only one, since nobody in that situation is dumb enough to give an excuse.